Footprints

Due to the bouts of heavy rain that we have had recently, the path to Wattlebury village has been very wet and muddy. After one such downpour the old leaves and twigs had been fashioned into wavy shapes by the rainwater as it carried them along like a river.

The clay soil was smooth, all dents and dimples washed away - an empty canvas for new footprints.
​Reuben and Drongo breathlessly jumped and half-flew into the yard as they returned from the village.
​"A bear! We have a bear - he lives here in Wattlebury! He has feet so big that we can both stand in one footprint!"
​I looked aghast - what on earth could it be? Surely not a bear? Trying not to alarm everyone too much, I gathered a small agile search party and told Reuben and Drongo to take us to the mysterious footprint.

"Follow me" I said

"Keep close! Be ready to fly to the nearest branch well out of reach!" I instructed the team and off we set.
"There it is Uncle Gordon!"
​And indeed - there it was!

Aah! I knew who that was. "Nothing to fear everyone! It is my old friend Bill Badger! No doubt in search of worms for the cubs that he and Barbara will now have. He comes along here regularly - but at night when we are all fast asleep - and you wouldn't notice his footprints if the ground were drier."
​The search party gave a huge sigh of relief and examined the large bear-like print more closely.
​"Why don't we see who else has been walking along here?" I suggested. And look who we found!

Philip Pheasant

Mr Fox

Charles the Roe buck

and Mysty the Roe doe

And much smaller Badger prints - a little one walking - could that be a first outing for Bill's babies?